Take extension of SOE seriously

THE extension of the state of emergency (SOE) should not be taken casually.
Papua New Guinea has not recorded what medical professionals term as local transmission but the chances of coronavirus entering the country is high if the SOE directives are not adhered to.
Too many people said the 14-day lockdown directives were harsh but it had to be done.
The lockdown caused confusion anxiety, and fear among the public.
What many did not understand was, lockdown was part of the Government’s preventive measures to put in place mechanisms to control and prevent any further spreading of the virus.
The fight to contain the Covid-19 pandemic is global.
All nations are working together on this.
Directives during the two months SOE maybe a bit relaxed but we should never take that for granted.
Many provinces plan to use the extension to drive home the message of how to prevent the spread of coronavirus and that is the way forward.
If PNG wants to maintain its statuesquo as only one confirmed (imported) case, the lockdown directives under the business operations and social gatherings must continue to be enforced including the closing down of all land, sea and air borders.
Social distancing measures should still be in full force and that is to reduce the spread of coronavirus (if someone has it).
That is the now the practice worldwide.
The message of practicing hand hygiene (wash your hands regularly with soap and water), respiratory hygiene (cover your cough), and food safety (cook food well before eating) as a prevention measure for yourself as well as your family members and your community should continue.
Remember the virus will not move unless people move it.
When we stop moving, the virus stops moving.
It is a relevant and timely message. For rapidly growing urban centres where crowds of people are interacting daily, the need for personal hygiene and regard for other people’s health are often disregarded.
It is for everyone’s benefit that these measures are being put in place – from social distances to getting into crowded areas and the simplest reminder of personal hygiene.
Let’s be honest, a lot of our people who don’t have much education are gullible to whatever information is spread and that is how panic will start.
All information should be tailored to the specific situation which can then increase the efficiency of information dissemination and provide people with more time and more accurate information to be informed and make better decisions.
These guideline are for everyone. We all should reduce our contact with others. Yes, this will have some negative impacts of mental health, loneliness and to some loss of income, but it should be done.
Social distancing works. It reduces transmission of the virus effectively and lessens the impact on already stretched healthcare services.
World Health Organisation in 2016 show PNG’s population at about 8 million people and the number of doctors in PNG is just below 600. That is about one doctor to serve around 12,000 people.
Put that into reality, most of our population don’t get to see a doctor when they feel unwell.
Then we have the nurses ratio is 5:10,000 people.
Realistically, there is not enough health workers for our population.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what will happen if Covid-19 strikes in PNG.